MEMS Microphones
Bruce RosePrincipal Factory Applications Engineer
Agenda
01 Microphone Overview
02 MEMS Microphone Outputs
03 Key Specifications
04 MEMS Microphone Arrays
05 Available Products
06 MEMS Resources
Microphone Overview01
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Purpose
• Provide an overview of MEMS microphone technology
- Working principles, key specifications, applications
Objectives
• Introduce common microphone technologies
- CUI offers both ECM and MEMS microphones
• Outline key specifications for MEMS microphones
• Discuss MEMS microphone arrays and other potential applications
• Highlight CUI’s range of MEMS microphone products
Introduction
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Electret Condenser Microphones (ECM)
• Flexible mounting configurations (SMT and THM)
• Unidirectional and noise canceling directivity
• Wide operating voltage ranges
MEMS Microphone Features
• Compact package sizes (Smaller than 2 x 3 x 1 mm)
• Improved signal quality
• Durable, stable performance
What is a microphone?
Microphones are electromechanical products used to detect sound and produce electrical signals
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Use Cases
• Audio recording and voice capture
• Detection sensors
• Activity monitoring
• Machinery failures
Why use a microphone?
Industry Applications
• Consumer
• Scientific
• Industrial
• Medical
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Typical ECM construction
ECM Microphone Review
Typical ECM application
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Typical MEMS microphone construction
MEMS Microphone Overview
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• Smaller package sizes
• Analog or digital output signal
• Choice of top or bottom sound port
- Product packaging options
• Internal IC pre-amp
- Signal stability over time and temperature
• Low output impedance
- Greater immunity to electrical noise
• Tight sensitivity tolerances
- Higher performance arrays
• Low current consumption
- Energy harvesting, battery powered
and IoT applications
MEMS Microphone Advantages
MEMS Microphone Outputs02
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Analog Output Construction
• Microphone element and preamplifier
• Two co-packaged die
Analog Output Features
• No digital processing required
• Application circuits easy to design
• Low output impedance
- Reduces susceptibility to electrical noise
Analog MEMS Microphones
Analog, 2-pin Configuration
Analog, 3-pin Configuration
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Digital Output Construction
• Microphone element, preamplifier
and ADC
• Two co-packaged die
Digital Output Features
• Simple interface to digital circuits
• Strongly immune to electrical noise
- Large signal levels
Digital MEMS Microphones
Typical Digital Configuration
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Pulse Density Modulation
• Requires clock and one data line
- 1 bit wide data word
• Clock rate > 100X analog bandwidth
• Fixed pulse width
- Encoding by presence or absence of pulses
• Stereo encoding with shared clock and data lines
- First channel drives data on HIGH clock
- Second channel drives data on LOW clock
- Data line is ‘wired AND’ driven
Digital MEMS Microphones | PDM Output
Example PDM Encoding
Key Specifications03
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Top and Bottom Ports
Top port configuration Bottom port configuration
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Anechoic Chamber, A-Weighting & dB
Anechoic Chamber
• A chamber with walls that absorb sound energy and do not reflect it back
(Enables accurate measurement of the direct sound path)
A-weighting
• A standard for specifying a sound energy distribution over the audio range
(Enables specifications to relate to human hearing sensitivity)
dB
• A method used to easily express ratios of pressure levels over a wide range
• dB = 20*log10(P1/P2)
• 2:1 = 3 dB, 10:1 = 20 dB, 1,000:1 = 60 dB, 1:100,000 = -100 dB
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Sound Pressure (in air) & SPL
Sound Pressure (in air)
• Loudness (volume) of sound is related to the magnitude of air pressure change
• Sound pressure is specified in units of Pascal (Pa)
SPL (Sound Pressure Level, specified in units of dB)
• Ratio of measured sound pressure relative to 20 µPa of pressure
- 20 µPa is the threshold of hearing (0 dB SPL)
- 1 Pa is equal to 94 dB SPL
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Sensitivity
• Measured in dBV for analog and dBFS for digital
• Ratio of microphone output voltage from 1 Pa excitation at 1 kHz
- Analog; Sensitivity (dBV) = 20 x log10(SmV/Pa ÷ Ref); Ref = 1000 mV/Pa
- Digital; Sensitivity (dBFS) = 20 x log10(S%FS ÷ Ref); Ref = 1.0
• A larger value of sensitivity is better than a smaller value of sensitivity
- -23 dB is better than -36 dB
Sensitivity Tolerance
• Typical MEMS microphones exhibit tolerances from ±3 dB down to ±1 dB
• Relates to both initial and long term matching of sensitivity between microphones
- Important for phased array applications
Sensitivity & Sensitivity Tolerance
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Ratio of Desired Signal to Undesired Noise
• Measured with standardized excitation
• Specified in dB
• Larger SNR values are good
- 53 dB is better than 48 dB
SNR = 20 log(PS/PN)
• PS – Output signal power level
- Measured at 1 Pa (94 dB SPL) at 1 kHz
• PN – Noise signal power level
- Measured at 20 kHz bandwidth
- A-weighted
- Characterized in an anechoic chamber
Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)
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Acoustic Overload Point (AOP)
• Excitation sound level where distortion rises rapidly
- Defined at a 10% distortion level
Dynamic Range
• Ratio of maximum to minimum sound pressure microphone can handle
• Maximum sound pressure
- Sound pressure which creates 10% distortion in output waveform
• Minimum sound pressure
- Equivalent sound pressure to create microphone background noise level
• A larger value of dynamic range is better than a smaller value of dynamic range
AOP & Dynamic Range
MEMS Microphone Arrays04
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• Placing MEMS microphones in arrays can be
used for signal enhancement (beamforming)
• Increase sensitivity
- Listening to sounds at a distance
• Noise cancelation
- Listening to sounds in a loud environment
• Sound direction detection
- Determining the direction of the source of a sound
• Tight sensitivity tolerances required
between microphones
MEMS Microphone Arrays
• Digital signal processing (DSP)
capability required in host system
- Calculations on microphone signals
• Tight sensitivity matching and
digital signal outputs are best
for array applications
- CUI Devices MEMS microphones
CMM4030DT-26154-TR, CMM4030DB-
26154-TR, CMM4737DT-26186-TR
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Broadside Microphone Arrays
Broadside arrays utilize amplitude and
phase information from each microphone
• Used in products where sound arrives
perpendicular to the array
• Conference room phone systems
• Interactive game voice commands
• Car audio interfaces
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Endfire Microphone Arrays
Endfire arrays emphasize time delay
(phase) information from each microphone
• Useful when sound arrives in-line with the array
• Hand-held microphones
• Manually or mechanically pointed directional
microphones
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Sound Location Detection Arrays
Location arrays utilize amplitude and
phase information from each microphone
• More complex (expensive) than broadside
or endfire arrays
• Useful when the location of the sound is unknown
• Security (Intruder detection, drone detection)
• Military and law enforcement (Gun-fire detection)
Available Products05
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Features
• Analog or digital (PDM) outputs
• Compact, low profile footprints
• Top or bottom sound port
• Low current consumption down to 80 µA
• -44 up to -26 dB sensitivity ratings
• 57 up to 65 dB signal-to-noise ratios
• Tight sensitivity tolerances for array applications
• Reflow solder compatible
• Rectangular or round form factors
• -40 up to 105°C operating temperature ranges
Available Products
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Available Products | Evaluation Boards
Features
• 4 MEMS models available- Decoupling and output coupling capacitors included
• Compact PCB size- Approximately 15 x 15 mm
• External connections with wires or 0.1” square pins- Convenient connections for evaluation and pro-typing
MEMS Resources06
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Online Resources | 3D Models
CUI Devices' library of ready-made 3D
models helps to streamline the design
process, saving you time and
resources. Users are able to view and
download MEMS microphone 3D models
in all major mechanical CAD formats
free of charge.
• AutoCAD©
• Autodesk
Inventor™
• CADKEY©
• CATIA©
• I-DEAS/Master
Series™
• Anvil™
• Mechanical
Desktop©
• Pro/ENGINEER©
• SolidWorks ©
• Unigraphics ©
• IGES Step
• Iron CAD™
• ACIS
• DXF
• eDrawings
• Solid Edge™
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With CUI Devices’ catalog of verified PCB
footprints and schematics, users are able
to prevent footprint errors and shorten
the time-consuming process of circuit
board design with free-to-download files
available in the following formats:
• Altium
• Eagle
• KiCad
• OrCAD/Allegro
• PADS/DxDesigner
• PCB123
• Pulsonix
Online Resources | PCB Footprint Files
Now Available!
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• Output Type
• Port Location
• Sensitivity (dB)
• Operating Voltage
• Operating Frequency
Use our advanced Parametric Search to quickly find and compare MEMS microphone models based on key specification criteria, including:
• SNR (dBA)
• CurrentConsumption
• Shape
• Package Size
Online Resources | Parametric Search
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DATASHEET
3D & PCB MODELS
COMPLIANCE
REQUEST SAMPLE
STOCK CHECK
REQUEST QUOTE
Online Resources | Product Pages
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Get helpful information and tips with 3
of our top MEMS microphone resources:
• Comparing MEMS and Electret
Condenser Microphones
• Analog or Digital: How to Choose the
Right MEMS Microphone Interface
• An Introduction to MEMS Microphone
Arrays
Download the resource kit now!
https://www.cuidevices.com/mems-
resource-kit
Online Resources | MEMS Microphones Resource Kit
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• MEMS microphones are used in many products
• Hold distinct advantages over electret
condenser mics
- Smaller size
- Improved performance
- Tight sensitivity matching
• Applications
- Consumer, industrial, scientific, medical
- Voice capture and recording
- Arrays and beam forming
• CUI Devices offers a range of MEMS
microphone products
Summary
All CUI Devices
MEMS products are
registerable!
Thank You
For any questions, please contact: https://futureelec.wufoo.com/forms/cui-webinar-inquiries/